Hey, did you also never got any idea how to use a old Phone useful? Yes? Same!
Its actually very easy.
I used for example my old Samsung Galaxy S6, because it has an IR-Sensor. Thats useful for TV's without the possibility to be controlled via WIFI.
Due to the fact that the S6 supports Wireless-Charging, I got a Wireless-Charger to charge the phone and if needed have fast acces to it.
Things you'll need:
A phone with Android 4.0.3 or newer.
OPTIONAL: Phone with IR-Sensor.
A phone with WIFI.
The possibility to live with ads or buy apps.
OPTIONAL: If your phone supports Wireless-Charging, a Wireless-Charging pad.
Macrodroid
Google clock
Google Home
OPTIONAL: A Smart TV (If you don't have a Smart TV or an unknown Brand, and dont have an IR-Sensor, you can skip the TV-part)
Thats actually it.
First of all, get the Anymote App out of the Google Playstore
After you downloaded the App, open the App.
If your phone supports IR mode, use The TV icon at the Bottom. If not, use the Wifi icon.
Then continue with searching your TV's Brand and click on it.
If you've done that, check if your TV works with the given remotes.
If it works: Congratualtions!
NOTE for IR users: If your TV doesn't respond always u press a Button on your phone do this:
Swipe from left to right
Hit App Settings
Scroll down until you see "Use Alternate Ir Commands"
Check the slider.
Now, that everything works, we need to continue on your phones Battery, because it cant stay on all the time. (If it does u have a GOD phone)
Check what you can charge your phone with. The pretty way is to charge it with Wireless-Charging. The ugly way with cable.
If you know what you can charge your phone with, decide what you wanna use then.
After you decided, place the charging method on a pretty place and try if the place works.
After you are one with this, open Playstore and download the Google clock, if u dont have it already.
"Why do we need this?" This is easy. Android phones are able to use Screensavers while charging. This is useful to avoid Screenburnin.
When u downloaded the app, go to settings and search "Screen saver".
Open the option and check "Clock".
After that, click on the settings Icon and change the Style to the one u prefer and check the Night mode.
When u connect your phone to the charger, it will display a moving clock. Its like Always on Display.
Now download Macrodroid and create a new macro:
Triggers: Screen Off
Actions: Launch AnyMote Smart Remote
"What does that do?" That opens AnyMote always, when u turn that phones screen off.
When u unlock the phone then, it will diplay the remote directly.
Now you can also configure your Google Home.
If you have Android 11 Thats easy. Hold the Powerbutton and follow the instructions on the screen.
If you've done that, you can hold the Powerbutton and get acces to all your smart devices.
If you dont have Android 11, you'll sadly have to open the Google Home app manually... I am sorry
I hope you liked the post about how to use old phones smart.
Thank you for reading :3
Related
INTRO
Hey everyone!
Some of you, like me, loved to use the smart stay feature of Samsung, they disables the dimming of the screen while you are looking at it.
Unfortunately, on the latest builds (CM11 like CM12), this app is broken. What happens is that, when an app is using the camera and another tries to access it, there is a conflict. For example, you are using the camera. If smart stay + tries to see if you are still there, it tries to access the camera which is already in use. And so, the camera app doesn't know what to do and crashes ^^
A way to repair this is to modify directly the app to pause the search when the camera is already in use, but we can't do that, the only one who can is the app dev ^^ Another way is to refuse access to the camera when using the camera app, but not sure how we can do that... The way I did is bypassing this error by killing smart stay + when I use a specific app like the camera
Apps
To do this, you need to install :
Tasker : lets you automate stuff depending of the state of the phone, an app, or even the sensors,
Secure Settings : lets you change the phone settings directly from Tasker,
TaskKill : lets Tasker kill apps using several different methods.
Watch out! Make sure you have the latest version of each, or else bugs may appear!
Lets Start!
So, start by installing as those apps, and install the latest version of Smart Stay + (if you are on CM12, you can't download it from Play Store cause it's incompatible, so you need to use the apk from the Internet). Don't launch Smart Stay +, and don't enable its setting in the accessibility menu on the phone!
First off, we need to give root rights to Secure Settings. Launch the app, then go to the System+ tab and enable it. It will then ask for root rights, accept and we are good to go on.
Kill Switch
Now, launch Tasker and go on the profile tab (if you want to follow everything in english in the app, press the 3 dots in the upper right corner, then Preferences, go all the way down in the UI tab, then change the language). Create a new context using the + icon on the bottom of the app, then chose Application. A list of all your apps will be shown, so you need to chose which app will kill the other one. Here, I want the Camera app to be the "killer", so I chose the apps using the camera (I have Camera Next as well as the stock camera, so I chose both) :
Screenshot 1
To go back, do not press the X button on the upper right corner! It will erase your config Press the button on the upper left corner to go back to the profiles. The app will show you then a menu where you can enter a new task. Chose New Task and name it "Kill". A new screen will be shown :
Screenshot 2
Click +, then go into Plugin, and you will see all the plugins. Click on TaskKill, then press on the Pen logo on the upper right corner to config the plugin. Here, you can choose the method to use to kill, and the app. You need to use the Extrem method, or else Smart Stay will keep rebooting... Choose Smart Stay in the list, then click apply. Set the Timeout to 0, then save it by clicking on the upper left corner, and return to the profiles list.
Here is what we should see :
Screenshot 3
Starting the App
We now need to start smart stay after we finished using the camera, and it's a bit tricky. You can either start the app using Tasker, but it will ask for you to enable the accessibility option of Smart Stay (happens every time), and that is really a bummer... That made me look if we can't directly turn on that setting from Tasker, so that we don't need to open the settings, close the app, etc... And it is! We can change that settings from Tasker using a plugin! Buuuut, the catch is that we need root...
Soooo to enable this setting, you need to long press on the action we just did named "Kill", and add an Exist Task. Next, do a new task named "Start". After, choose the plugin Secure Settings, then press on the Pen logo on the upper right corner to config the plugin. Here, you can choose which action you want. Go to System+ Actions, then press Accessibility Services. A new menu will appear, where you can see the different apps that has an Accessibility Setting. Choose Smartstay+, and make sure the button underneath it is Disabled (so that it disables that setting). Save it, then go back to the profiles list using the button on the upper left corner.
Here is what you should see :
Screenshot 4
Testing
Tada! Done! You can now launch the camera app without having it bug! To test it out, you can go on each action, like "kill" and press the play button on bottom of the screen. You will see that the notification is closed. Go into the "start" action and press play, you will that icon return! Go try it out using the camera app!
Misc / Other Method
You may ask why I didn't use the Secure Settings in the first place, and the reason is that it doesn't work well. The app isn't totally killed, it's just paused, so we don't know if it still has access to the camera, or if it is draining battery... Using TaskKill ensure us that it isn't running in the background, and so not draining any battery.
For Android L users, you may know that with Smart Lock, you can unlock the phone with your face. To do so, Android uses the stock camera app. This means that you won't have any bugs at all using that unlocking method with Smart Stay, thanks to our bypass
Another method that was pointed out by triviums (1+1 forums) is to use Smart Stay EX Pro. It has an option to disable scanning when certain apps are launched. But, after testing this out, it doesn't work as well as my method. There is a missing option in that app which is Smart Timeout. Without this feature, it still scans if the user is there, even though he is typing something or scrolling a page. Smart Stay + has this feature for free )
If this could be implemented (cause on the photos on Google Play, the feature is there for PRO users, but after installing you don't see it...), then it may be better (no need to kill and restart app, which takes some battery). If this doesn't work, then the battery you gain from not killing the app is lost in the use of the camera when it isn't necessary...
Hi guys. I don't see any Smart Lock options under settings and security. Is there any way to setup Smart Lock with this phone? I do see Smart Lock appear in the notifications when I add a Bluetooth device, but I see no way to go into the Smart Lock options after that. Has anyone been able to get it to work with this phone?
I have the same question. I cant find that setting either. I'll send Blu a tweet (@irishman2020)
They replied and said they don't support it on the PureXL
What the hell, NO Smart Lock on a phone with all these high end features and hardware? I guess Blu never expected anyone with a $349 phone would want to use it with Android Wear or any other Smart Lock feature! How STUPID!!! It must have been an ID10T error.
mhajii210 said:
Hi guys. I don't see any Smart Lock options under settings and security. Is there any way to setup Smart Lock with this phone? I do see Smart Lock appear in the notifications when I add a Bluetooth device, but I see no way to go into the Smart Lock options after that. Has anyone been able to get it to work with this phone?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you gotten to the Trusted Devices screen when you tapped the notification? I was able to set my device up from there onwards after pairing (but right now it does nothing and is kind of useless).
I've managed to connect my Pure XL to my laptop with a Startech.com 50m Class 1 USB to BT4.0 adapter (USBBT1EDR4) and was able to setup Smart Lock to unlock my device. It did nothing, but probably because I didn't walk outside of its signal range. Meanwhile, I didn't get a notification to setup Smart Lock when I paired up with my desktop (I'm on a P8P67 PRO mobo with some sort of Atheros BT device built in).
Unfortunately, there's no other way, as far as I see it, to get to the Trusted Devices screen unless you pair with an appropriate BT device for the first time and you tap the notification to setup Smart Lock.
Hello Guys... i recently got a Galaxy S5 from Ebay that unfortunately was locked by a Samsung account due an abnormal factory reset... there are many ways to bypass this on previous versions of android but unfortunately mine has the last update OK3.. After many attempts to bypass this I was about to give up until i got an idea that finally worked..
In the previous versions of android it was very easy to do it because you could open a web browser very easy but in this update the people of Samsung remove all these options... but... they forgot one...
1. Basically what you have to do is connect to a free WIFI from any store that request you a sign in... for example in my work we have a guest wifi that is free but in order to make it work you need to enter some information like your name and email address...
2. Once you get to this screen enter the information and accept everything so you can log in to the WIFI.. after that a web browser will open and that's what you need!! if the browser do not open just try to select any text and press the search button so you can open the browser..
3. Once the browser is open go to the Playstore webpage, after this the Playstore application will open.
4. Enter your Gmail account and search the app EASYTOUCH
5. Download the app and run it... this app will open a floating bubble in your screen that will allow you to open any app on your phone or go to settings etc...
6. After this you will be able to do anything you want on your phone, well almost anything lol.. you wont be able to receive any calls... but you can make calls receive sms and also send sms... something is something
7.. I suggest downloading a Launcher like Cheeta and a screen locker like CM LOCK. Sometimes the bubble from Easytouch disappear and you wont be able to do anything unless you restarts your phone.
As you can see the whole point of this is to open a web browser so you can install any app from Playstore that will let you use your phone "normally". If the browsers doesn't open just select any text as you were trying to copy it but instead of pressing the copy button press the search button...
I'm sorry if my explanation was not clear... English is my second language....
Wouldn't it be much better to return the defective item to the eBay seller on the grounds that it was probably stolen, and then buy one that works?
painiac said:
Wouldn't it be much better to return the defective item to the eBay seller on the grounds that it was probably stolen, and then buy one that works?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes and No... 99% of the time yes it was stolen... but there is nothing I can do about that, actually it will be a lot of of rework on my side... i will have to open a case in ebay.. wait tons of days... send the phone.. get a refund... buy another one... wait like another week.... So I decided to keep it.... yes it may be wrong buying stolen phones... but I think there are worst things than that and you wont stop doing them... so.... just keep an eye on yours so it doesn't get stolen...
anonimoyque said:
Yes and No... 99% of the time yes it was stolen... but there is nothing I can do about that, actually it will be a lot of of rework on my side... i will have to open a case in ebay.. wait tons of days... send the phone.. get a refund... buy another one... wait like another week.... So I decided to keep it.... yes it may be wrong buying stolen phones... but I think there are worst things than that and you wont stop doing them... so.... just keep an eye on yours so it doesn't get stolen...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, it's that attitude that will get you no help from XDA...
worthless
ldeveraux said:
Yeah, it's that attitude that will get you no help from XDA...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It doesn't work anyway. That's another "get you no help" js
Easier for me...
I have the S5 i bought from a friend, it has a reactivation lock on it, here is a simple way to work around it, once u have a launcher to access apps go to settings and force stop Samsung setup wizard, and Samsung account, then go to safty assistance and turn on emergency mode, then should be able to hold power and see 4 options one being emergency mode turn it off and bam at stock home screen, notification panal full access and can unlock developer options, just dont push home button
Dead3yte said:
I have the S5 i bought from a friend, it has a reactivation lock on it, here is a simple way to work around it, once u have a launcher to access apps go to settings and force stop Samsung setup wizard, and Samsung account, then go to safty assistance and turn on emergency mode, then should be able to hold power and see 4 options one being emergency mode turn it off and bam at stock home screen, notification panal full access and can unlock developer options, just dont push home button
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Look on YouTube I seen a few videos on how to bypass the Samsung account and Google acoout
Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
I just purchased a 2018 Honda Accord EX that has Hondalink. The OS seems to be based on Android 6.1.1
So far Im very disappointed with the limitations of the Hondalink OS. The Driver Distraction Limitations are ridiculous. In CA it's illegal for you to hold your phone. It must be hands free. But as long as it's mounted, you are still able to use many functions as long as it's single finger touch. Regardless, I think a user/driver should be allowed choices and be held responsible if abusing those choices, like texting while driving, or watching a video while driving. But the limitations of HondaLink, coupled with AndroidAutos ridiculously small list of supported apps, it makes me wonder... WHY??? Why have this system at all? There's no app/option to watch video or browse images (even if parked) and no web browser. No Youtube. No Voxer support. Nothing. When I ask google for showtimes of a movie playing, using voice command, it gives showtimes for theaters that aren't even close to where I am when asking. Ive even tried to specify the theater when asking. Doing this only confuses it. This is a pathetic substitute for the fandango app.
Obviously I considered using the "Install App" (App Installer? sry, not in car) button. So, went on my galaxy S8+, used APK extractor, copied extracted apks to a USB jump drive, and plugged the jump drive into the car. The car recognizes the Jump Drive, and sees the apks, along with their appropriate file sizes. The apks I tested are Accuweather, ES File Explorer, Voxer, and Youtube. When I tap on one of the files, it brings up the "Install App?" dialogue box, but the button "Install" is greyed out.
Does anyone know how to get into the Developer Diagnosis page?
At the very very least, I'd like to disable the Driver Distraction Setting
Is there an android app that can be used as a substitute to Android-Auto that is a straight screen mirroring of the phone to the HondaLink Infotainment console?
i have a 2018 accord sport...i don't even get the subwoofer or the extra speakers....but using AA with my phone or just unplugging it when needed works just fine. What are you needing it to really do?
Before I go into it, please understand that I recognize that feature limitations and the "Driver Attention" lock is all meant for the safety of the driver and for others around the driver. I recognize that ultimately the road and the safety of those on the road are the priority. But i will also note that in CA, as long as the phone is mounted and not in your hand, you can pretty much do any task that only requires one finger (short of texting)
That being said, if AA allows an app, like Doubletwist, im frustrated that I cant do a simple one finger task of scrolling down a list of albums/artist/songs/playlist unless I'm at a complete stop. I've found that when I'm rolling at 2-3mph and am STILL locked out, im having to unplug my phone and look down at it to simply change playlist. When I'm going down a freeway and I'm in stop and go traffic for 15-20miles and never actually coming to a completely stop, this can be beyond frustrating. Ultimately I think that driver safety should be the drivers responsibility, and not predetermined by a company. If a driver abuses technology, then the driver needs to be accountable. It's my mission to figure out how to disable that stupid driver attention lock.
What do I want it to do? I want more than an overglorified play/pause button. Seriously. Yes it shows the name of the song and allows me to go to the next track, previous track, pause/play, but beyond that, absolutely no control. Voxer is a VERY simple one touch app. You tap to start voxing, you tap to stop. That's it, super straight forward. NOT supported. I want to be able to browse firefox, fandango, and YouTube when I'm parked.
But ultimately, I want the Android experience with full fledged apps. Android Auto pretty much just commandeers the Hond aLink infotainment screen. So just allow straight screen mirroring. That's what I "want".
Make playlists In Google play music....use your voice to change it.
Google play is nothing more than pandora and spotify. You have to select from their options. Yes, I might being "picky", but I prefer Doubletwist. It lets me sync my iTunes music and playlist. The point is, AA supports Doubletwist, but is too limited, and the "Driver Attention" lock is frustrating as heck. Besides that, AA is just too limited, too restrictive. Google/android should just do away with AA and just do straight screen mirroring. Or at least allow a 3rd party to make an app that resembles AA without so much of the limutations. It's sad that the most awesom.e feature in the best car ive had in almost 20 years is turning out to be the most pointless feature. 90% of what you can do through A you can do through Bluetooth. But I Really don't want to get a mount and make the dash look tacky. I mean, the phone mounted right next to the high infotainment screen. Jeez. More to the point, I just plain don't see why I should have to.
varxtis said:
Google play is nothing more than pandora and spotify. You have to select from their options. Yes, I might being "picky", but I prefer Doubletwist. It lets me sync my iTunes music and playlist. The point is, AA supports Doubletwist, but is too limited, and the "Driver Attention" lock is frustrating as heck. Besides that, AA is just too limited, too restrictive. Google/android should just do away with AA and just do straight screen mirroring. Or at least allow a 3rd party to make an app that resembles AA without so much of the limutations. It's sad that the most awesom.e feature in the best car ive had in almost 20 years is turning out to be the most pointless feature. 90% of what you can do through A you can do through Bluetooth. But I Really don't want to get a mount and make the dash look tacky. I mean, the phone mounted right next to the high infotainment screen. Jeez. More to the point, I just plain don't see why I should have to.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not sure what the doubletwist is, but I prefer using sony xperia musix (look here on xda). For youtube there is carstream app that someone made which can be used for watching youtube while driving besides parked (http://www.thekirankumar.com/blog/2017/12/29/play-youtube-video-android-auto-app/). Also, i believe there is newer android auto version which allows wireless AA but I haven't tested that yet which may help with some issues that you have.
YoColdRain said:
Not sure what the doubletwist is, but I prefer using sony xperia musix (look here on xda). For youtube there is carstream app that someone made which can be used for watching youtube while driving besides parked (http://www.thekirankumar.com/blog/2017/12/29/play-youtube-video-android-auto-app/). Also, i believe there is newer android auto version which allows wireless AA but I haven't tested that yet which may help with some issues that you have.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks I'll look into those. Presently, I just stuck a phone mount on the dash and keep everything Bluetooth. Its only taking advantage of probably 5% of the Honda-link infotainment consoles potential, and yet it's still 20x better than battling with Android Autos ridiculous limitations. Sad :\
varxtis said:
Before I go into it, please understand that I recognize that feature limitations and the "Driver Attention" lock is all meant for the safety of the driver and for others around the driver. I recognize that ultimately the road and the safety of those on the road are the priority. But i will also note that in CA, as long as the phone is mounted and not in your hand, you can pretty much do any task that only requires one finger (short of texting)
That being said, if AA allows an app, like Doubletwist, im frustrated that I cant do a simple one finger task of scrolling down a list of albums/artist/songs/playlist unless I'm at a complete stop. I've found that when I'm rolling at 2-3mph and am STILL locked out, im having to unplug my phone and look down at it to simply change playlist. When I'm going down a freeway and I'm in stop and go traffic for 15-20miles and never actually coming to a completely stop, this can be beyond frustrating. Ultimately I think that driver safety should be the drivers responsibility, and not predetermined by a company. If a driver abuses technology, then the driver needs to be accountable. It's my mission to figure out how to disable that stupid driver attention lock.
What do I want it to do? I want more than an overglorified play/pause button. Seriously. Yes it shows the name of the song and allows me to go to the next track, previous track, pause/play, but beyond that, absolutely no control. Voxer is a VERY simple one touch app. You tap to start voxing, you tap to stop. That's it, super straight forward. NOT supported. I want to be able to browse firefox, fandango, and YouTube when I'm parked.
But ultimately, I want the Android experience with full fledged apps. Android Auto pretty much just commandeers the Hond aLink infotainment screen. So just allow straight screen mirroring. That's what I "want".
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
To unlock the driver attention thing you need to hold the home, power, and source button for bout 10 seconds then click on the detail information & setting screen and from there hold home button again for 10 seconds and then click on the vehicle model information and turn off the DD VSP ERROR and that should do it. However everytime you turn off your car it resets and you have to do it all over again.
Hello XDA Community.
Here is a thread that will help you make the most of your Android device.
Watch the video or go through the below list of tips and tricks.
You might find it useful.
Tap for AOD and Double-tap to wake.
If you have a premium Android smartphone, you ought to have both of these features. A lot of people are unaware and always use the side key. Save your side key from unwanted presses, simply tap once for AOD and double tap-to wake the screen. These options can be configured and personalized in the settings.
Double tap to lock.
Done with your work and want to keep the phone back in your pocket? Do that simply with double tapping on the screen to lock it. If it’s not working for you, your phone might not support this feature.
Double swipe down for quick-settings.
Sometimes, it can be lengthy to pull down the notification section twice, especially if you have a lot of notifications and want to change the brightness or want to toggle a quick-setting. A faster way to get there is to swipe-down using 2 fingers. It’s a handy magic trick that you can use to get things done faster.
Open camera without unlocking your phone.
A lot of times, we unlock our phone and give it to others for taking a photograph. This can be unsafe and somebody might go through sensitive information on your phone. Next time you’re at an event, just swipe on the lock screen to open the camera. This way, your personal information will stay secure and you’ll be at peace of mind.
Mark messages as read from the lockscreen.
Oftentimes a day, we get a lot of messages. It can be difficult to open all the messages to get them marked as read. A quick trick is that you can mark messages as read from the lockscreen itself. This works for SMS as well as popular messaging apps like WhatsApp.
Press and hold app icons for shortcuts.
If you are using lengthy approaches for tasks, this is bound to pave the way for a lot of shortcuts. You can tap and hold on icons for getting things done faster. Each app (depending on the developer) will show you a bunch of quick tasks that can be very useful. Tap and hold the dialer icon to add a contact, tap and hold chrome’s icon to quickly open an incognito window. Instagram shows quick options such as Camera, New Post, View activity or Chats.
Find your phone using Google Assistant.
This trick will work only if Google accounts are the same on your phone as well as smart speakers. Just say “Hey Google, where’s my phone?” and your phone will start ringing. This can be useful if you’re struggling to find your phone after a party. It might have hid in the sofa, under the bed or another dimension. Find it easily using your Google Assistant.
Check the phone's battery using Google Assistant.
About to fall asleep and don’t have the energy to check your phone, just ask Google. Simply say, “How much battery is there on my phone?” and the mighty Google will respond.
Get directions to places using Google Assistant.
Planning to go somewhere, simply ask your Google Nest device. Try saying, “Send me directions to the airport.”
Multi window
Wanna use multiple apps at once? Android has got you covered. Simply open the combination of apps in split screen view. This can be quite useful if you want to read something while completing a project. Drag and drop can also be done among windows. Also feel free to resize the apps as per your need.
Pop-up view
Doing some calculations and don’t want to switch back and forth between the apps? Use pop-up view instead. Bring up the calculator as a pop-up window on your screen to make quick calculations. The possibilities are endless.
Swype keyboard
Are you still typing the old school way? Time to change things. Swype is a great way to type faster. Turn it on from the keyboard settings if needed, and swype away. Say goodbye to typing one key at a time.
One-handed mode
Screens are getting bigger these days. Gone are the times when everything was usable with one-hand by default. To counter this, there are software enhancements. Turn on one-handed mode from settings to easily use the phone and reach all corners.
Mirror screen
Got an Android TV at home? Use the Google Home app which is downloadable from the play store to mirror your phone’s screen. This can be really useful if you have guests over and you want to showcase your gallery pics. Or just show them a presentation.
Cast content
While screen mirroring is cool, it’s not recommended for watching content. Use casting instead. Common streaming apps like YouTube, Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+ have this feature. Just ensure your TV and phone are on the same network, then use the Cast icon present in the app to play things on TV and control them using the phone. Pretty handy.
Control home devices
Once you have added your Smart devices to Google Home, simply use the Devices option to control them quickly. This can be useful to turn lights on or off, change the volume on TV or Play/Pause smart speakers.
Get rid of app drawer - Home screen apps
Recently switched from an iPhone or want a simpler home screen layout? There’s an option for that. Go to launcher settings and use the Home screen apps option. You will now have a simpler life and won’t have to open the app drawer again and again. Swipe up to perform a spotlight like search. Thanks Android for such good days
Extra-dim
It’s important to take care of our eyes during the night. Bright displays in bed while the lights are off can be stressful. Thanks to Android 12, there’s an Extra dim feature built in. Simply turn it on to make the screen easily readable even in the darkest situations.
Turn off notifications
Too many notifications from unwanted apps annoying you? Simply hold a notification to bring up notification settings, quickly turn off all annoying notifications from here.
Take calls from PC
Your phone app on Windows 10 and 11 offers a ton of features. One of them being the ability to take calls from your PC. This trick really saves from back and forth switching while working on a laptop. Make your life easier, pair your phone to Windows and take calls from the PC.
Messages from PC
Making a transaction on your laptop and don’t want the trouble to look at your phone? Your phone app helps you see all SMS on your PC itself. You can even reply or copy-paste to get content on your laptop.
Control your phone from PC
Here’s a quick trick to get your phone’s screen on your PC. Use the Your Phone app and click on the phone's icon. Grant permission from your phone. Phone display will turn up on the PC and you’ll be able to control it from there. Pretty handy if you want to take screenshots of the app you’re developing.
Notifications/Whatsapp/other apps on PC
Stay focused and forget the hassle of switching between devices. Thanks to Your Phone app, all your phone’s notifications are visible on the PC. You can manage them easily. Someone pinged you on WhatsApp? Don’t pick up your phone, reply to them right from your PC. You can use other apps too and even Pin them on your PC’s taskbar. Amazing trick indeed.
Photos on PC
Your phone app will keep your devices in sync. All your Gallery photos magically appear on your PC. You can even save them to the PC without having to worry about finding USB cables.
Create AR Emoji [SAM]
AR stands for Augmented Reality. You can create an avatar for yourself and do fun things with it.
Take measurements [SAM]
Download Measure tool in AR Zone to take quick measurements of your room. Next time you want to buy a carpet, just use this trick on your phone first before stepping out.
Edge screen [SAM]
This is a great way to access your apps and multi-task. The edge screen is highly customisable and you should definitely check out all the options to make it most productive for you.
Edge screen tools [SAM]
The magical thing about the Edge screen is that it doubles as a toolkit. Find options to view compass, tally counter, ruler and more. Next time you’re on an exploration, definitely bring up these tools.
Assistant Menu (Assistive touch)
Want a helping hand? Turn on Assistant Menu from settings. It is similar to assistive touch that you would find on an iOS device. Helps quickly take screenshots, open notifications and more. Customize and personalize it as you see fit.
Auto-complete in dialer
This is a very old trick of the book. Typically, a person wastes a lot of time in finding a contact and calling them. Quicker way it auto-complete. It works like a T9 dictionary which used to be present in Nokia phones. For eg. in order to dial John, you would have to press 5646. John’s name will automatically come-up. Use similar approach for others.
Powerful photo edits
Post taking photos, the photo editor offers a lot of options. You can make changes to a photo’s background, color and more. It’s quite powerful and definitely worth checking out to make photos stand out.
Scan documents [SAM]
The Samsung Notes app has an option to scan documents. Once you’re done scanning, save them to pdf format and share away.
Export text from image
There are times when we come across images and have to note something down manually. To counter this problem, export text from images easily. The Google Keep app comes to the rescue. Add an image to a note. Tap on that image, go to options and choose Grab image text. Easy life!
Connect mouse
Connect a mouse for precision of a cursor. Get the added advantage of right clicking while browsing for an organized and enhanced experience. Make any changes in settings if needed.
Connect keyboard
Want to complete typing that lengthy article on the go? Just pair a bluetooth keyboard for effortless typing. Finally, work can be done on the go.
Connect gamepad
If you have an Xbox or PlayStation controller lying around, pair it up using bluetooth. Gaming on the go. Sit back in the lawn and enjoy easy gaming. OR put your phone one a stand and play away. Hello GTA.
Identify plants/objects/fishes
The Google lens feature is pretty cool. Easily identify and get information about what’s in front of you. No need to save the image and do a reverse image search.
Cast presentations and docs
Google slides work amazingly in the ecosystem. If you have a Chromecast device on the same network, you’ll be able to present your content wirelessly to the audience. Goodbye HDMI cables.
Record calls [SAM]
The built in call recorder can be turned on from dialer settings. Open the dialer, tap 3 dots, choose Settings. Find the Record calls option and turn on auto record calls.
Record screen
Want to record app instructions for a friend, or complete a project? Record your screen. In the quick settings section, find the screen recorder option. You can choose recording options as needed. Start recording. Once you’re done, the recording will be saved to the Gallery.
Wireless powershare [SAM]
This feature might or might not be available in your device. Easily charge another gadget that supports wireless charging, ranging from iPhones to Smart Watches. Perfect when traveling.
Wired powershare
If you have a type C to C cable, you can charge another device. Plug the ends to different phones to share power. Perfect for saving your friend who’s running out of battery.
Developer options
There are some advanced options which are hidden by default. A lot of you might already know this, but for a lot of new Android users, tap on the build number a couple of times to unlock developer options. Know that these options are advanced and you really shouldn’t be messing with them unless you know what you’re doing.
Use screensaver
Screensaver is a great way to enhance your experience during charging. Choose from built-in screensavers or find a good one on the Play Store. A big shout out to the developer of this screensaver that I found. I will leave a link for it in the video description. It’s free and highly customizable. [link here]
Display contact info on lock screen
This is a useful way to show important info on the lock screen. You can choose to display your name or contact info, or go for your nick name.
Find my device
Find and ring your device using the Android device manager. Perform a google search “Android device manager”. Open the page and see your devices there. Find options to ring or even erase content from your device.
Flash notifications
Getting difficult to find your phone in the dark? Or just want to flaunt off your device? Turn on flash notifications in settings. Whenever you’ll get a call, the flashlight will go crazy.
Pin windows
Annoying kids want to play games on your device? Don’t worry, there’s a way to safely do that without them having access to phone’s settings or personal data. The app can be pinned, making it impossible for anyone to access anything else. Take a sigh of relief when you hand over your phone to anyone, just pin the app first.
Identify tracks
We all love music. Sometimes, you hear great music around you and it can be difficult to identify the song. Thanks to the magic of Shazam, easily identify the tracks being played near you. It’s a great app for music lovers.
Sensors and hardware check - *#0*# [SAM]
This is a secret code which helps you check all the sensors and hardware. Very handy and useful if you’re planning to buy a used phone or want to troubleshoot an issue with your existing phone.
Thanks.